Cater to your craving for fabulous fictional fare with Menu for Romance, where a party planner finds herself torn between the contractor and the cook. After eight years of unrequited love, Meredith Guidry makes a New Year's resolution to find someone new and end her single status before the year's over. And when she meets a handsome contractor on New Year's Day, it seems like her prayers have been answered.Executive Chef Major O'Hara has forsworn relationships, knowing he could never saddle the woman he loves with a family situation like his. But when it seems he's about to lose Meredith Guidry to another man, he realizes he must concoct a menu for romance to win her back.

Meredith Guidry had been having crush for her work mate Chef Major O'Hara for 8 years. With having a traditional mindset, she believed the guy should make the move. On the other hand, Major loved Meredith for very long time too. Due to past experiences, and also struggling with his life and career, he was worried about being rejected and thought that Meredith was better with someone else other than him. I think Major was keeping too much things to himself. If he tells his best friends about his mom, I'm sure he did not have to give up those important things in his life. From many books and even in real life, I have learnt that honestly is important in relationship. Things get so much better after Meredith told the contractor about her feeling with him. Similarly after Meredith learn the truth about Major's mom. We not necessary must suffer or struggle alone. Sometimes it's alright to ask supports and help from family and friends who care for us.

It is an inspirational story. I enjoy reading this book very much. And I'm looking forward to read more books from Dacus. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Note: I receive the digital copy of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Lia Taylor needs Thomas Bradshaw like she’s never needed anyone before. The hunky, super-ambitious Head of Surgery at Hopewell General is the only one who can save her young son. Falling for the seductive surgeon is a prescription for trouble. But there’s no cure for her smitten condition once Thomas brands her with his sensual touch.

The scion of a powerful family, Thomas has vowed to devote his life to healing others. Having an affair with the alluring computer wiz and single mother could cost the workaholic doc his career at the prominent, scandal-plagued Virginia hospital. Especially if his explosive secret gets out. But Thomas can’t give Lia up. His diagnosis? A future together filled with all the love their hearts can hold.…

What would be your reaction when one day a woman approaches you and tell you that you are the father of her 8 years old son from the sperm that you have donated to a sperm bank? I would say Thomas handled the whole thing very well. And I admire Lia for her courage to do anything just to save her son, Jalen. She did not have much choice too as none of her family members including herself, is a match to donate the kidney to save Jalen. Besides saving his son, Thomas was very attracted to Lia. Even though Lia was trying very hard to resist Thomas, but she could not deny the intense chemistry between them. And Jalen's a gem! He's smart and witty, well brought up by Lia. He would say something that out of your expectation, making their parents' jaw dropped.

Overall, it was a light-hearted and easy read. And fun too! I was actually chuckling all the way. The story is sweet and heart-warming. I enjoy reading it very much.

I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

Note: I receive the digital ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

What girl wouldn't swoon over outrageous perks like free jewelry, designer clothes, and the chance to hang out with crush-worthy Prince Karl? But best of all, Desi gets one-on-one time with Genevieve, the head of the super-secret and ultra glamorous Façade agency. She's taken a special interest in Desi's magical abilities.

But between Desi's BEST (Betterment of Elite Sub Training) program, starting the eighth grade, trying out for the school play, and dealing with the cute-but-bossy new boy Reed, she's beginning to feel like she's in over her head. Even worse, when Desi learns a secret about the magic that keeps Façade running, she realizes that not everything is as perfect as it seems.

Full of humor and heart, this second installment in the Princess for Hire series shows Desi that the royal treatment may just be masking mysteries, and only she can uncover the truth....one princess at a time!

The story is fun, girlish and suitable for any pre-teen girls who like to read about princess and stuff. It was about the adventures of Desi being a princess for hire for any princess in the world that wants to take a break from the royal life; and the real Desi when she was not on any princess duty. Imagine you get to be a princess, enjoying the royal life even though just a temporary substitute. The story is fun, humorous and filled with good moral values. It is a light-hearted and easy read. While you may enjoy more if you have the first book in the series, but it's alright to read this as standalone too.

I rate it 3 out of 5 stars.

Note: I receive the digital copy of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

New York Times bestselling author Deborah Smith evokes the stunning beauty of Scotland in this spin on the clan wars-as a sexy CEO finds himself abducted by a brazen beauty determined to save her village.

Elgiva MacRoth descends from a long line of bold Scots willing to fight for their heritage. When her picturesque town comes under siege by a corporate raider, she devises a daring plan to stop billionaire Douglas Kincaid. But kidnapping a man off the rooftop of his penthouse and holding him hostage proves far less complicated than saving herself from his intoxicating sensual assault.

The stunning beauty with her golden eyes and fighting spirit make captivity feel like a fantasy. The desire heating up is enough to make them both forget the battle, and surrender to something far more pleasurable. But Douglas has his own dreams for this lovely spot of Scottish land. And he has a proposal that he hopes will convince Elgiva to give up her hard line and give in to him in every way that matters. With a warrior's will, he's fighting for his legacy, his heart, and the woman of his dreams.

About the author

Deborah Smith is the author of such well-loved novels as A Place to Call Home, Blue Willow, and Miracle. She lives in Georgia.

This is a fun and easy read. The story is simple. And the chemistry between Elgiva and Douglas definitely was there. I like Douglas's dog, Sam that tried not to be sided with either his master Douglas or Elgiva while his master was being held as captive. It was also fun to read how Douglas was trying to torture Elgiva from his cell. And Elgiva loved her people so much that she was willing to risk herself to preserve the place for her people. I like the way Douglas dealt with the situation. He was quick to adjust himself to his environment. And after he had found out the truth and being confronted by Elgiva and her people, he was so cool and settled the whole thing in favour of everyone, including himself.

The story is rather short. You can easily finish reading it within few hours. It is fun and entertaining. I enjoy reading it very much. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

Note: I receive the digital copy of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

On the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Renée Winters was still an ordinary girl. She spent her summers at the beach, had the perfect best friend, and had just started dating the cutest guy at school. No one she'd ever known had died. But all that changes when she finds her parents dead in the Redwood Forest, in what appears to be a strange double murder.

After the funeral Renée’s wealthy grandfather sends her to Gottfried Academy, a remote and mysterious boarding school in Maine, where she finds herself studying subjects like Philosophy, Latin, and the “Crude Sciences.”

It’s there that she meets Dante Berlin, a handsome and elusive boy to whom she feels inexplicably drawn. As they grow closer, unexplainable things begin to happen, but Renée can’t stop herself from falling in love. It’s only when she discovers a dark tragedy in Gottfried’s past that she begins to wonder if the Academy is everything it seems.

Little does she know, Dante is the one hiding a dangerous secret, one that has him fearing for her life.

Dead Beautiful is both a compelling romance and thought-provoking read, bringing shocking new meaning to life, death, love, and the nature of the soul.

This is the first book for the Dead Beautiful series. I actually read the second book before reading this first book. So I sort of knowing their relationship but it does not hinder me from enjoying reading this book 1.

Renee was devastated after foung both of her parents were died on her sixteenth birthday. And then she had to leave her best friend and other friends behind to go to a boarding school where she had no friend there at all. And I would say she handled it very well, show that she's independent.

Most part of the book was about Renee's life in Gottfried Academy. Despite the strict school rules, with the interesting subjects, new friends, and things that happened last summer at that school, made Renee's new life very much interesting and adventurous. Imagine the excitement sneaked out the bedroom through fire place after the curfew; secretly dating a guy who did not socialize with the other students; being called to headmistress for breaking the school rules. Renee was a smart girl, and always speak for her mind despite it got her into trouble. And she determined to find out the truth of her parent's death, as well as what happened last summer in Gottfried.

With the new environment and new friends, Renee started drifting apart with her previous best friend. While her roommate Eleanor became her best friend. I actually feel pity to Eleanor, as what had happened to her was not her fault. She was a victim. A very unfortunate for her. The ending was unexpected.

In overall, it was a good read to me. There was enough mystery and suspense to make me keep on turning the pages searching for the answer. There were also some "oh no" moments that made me worry for Renee, eager to know what would happen to her.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Jessica Devlin isn’t looking for love. Heartbroken after being dumped by her unfaithful ex-fiancé, she’s determined to have a fabulous time during her vacation in England where she’ll be maid-of-honor at her cousin’s wedding. After working overtime as beauty editor of Orlando’s O Tart magazine, avoiding dating, and putting on ten pounds, Jess is ready to toss her past like an empty lipstick tube and party like a single gal.

But when she steps into the church on her cousin’s wedding day, she sees the one man who could sabotage her plan—James-Bond-gorgeous Nick Mondinello. She’s never forgotten the London marketing exec who held her in his arms after her beloved grandfather’s funeral two years ago. Ambitious, and lusted after by women everywhere, Nick is completely wrong for guarded, Plain Jane Jess.

Could Spy Man Nick ever fall for her? Nope. Not unless Jess is one lucky girl.

Normally I won't choose to read Chic lit. But I did not regret reading this book. In fact, I quite enjoy reading it. It is light-hearted and easy read. It's fun reading what's inside Jessica's mind, although I found some of her imaginations were hilarious. Despite fussing about the extra 10 pounds, I like that she did not cut down on her food intake and her cravings on something sweet. While Nick was projected as playboy by Jessica's cousins, I don't think it mentioned what made Nick attracted to Jess besides that they had met 2 years ago during that one night at the bar and they were physically attracted. Besides that I also think their relationship was too fast. But put this aside, if you want something light and funny, this is a book for you.

I rate it 3 out of 5 stars.

Note: I receive the ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

I gasped . . . or tried to. My mouth opened, but I couldn’t draw breath. . . . His lips, pearly wet, parted and he blew into my mouth. My lungs expanded beneath his weight. When I exhaled he sucked in my breath and his weight turned from cold marble into warm living flesh.

Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of writing her bestselling book, The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. After all, Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she finds herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.

But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: He’s not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the incubus, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this demon lover from her heart.

Juliet Dark is the pseudonym of an award-winning and critically acclaimed literary suspense writer.

Firstly, the book cover is very beautiful. The pace of the book at the beginning was rather slow. In fact, the pace throughout the whole book was not fast. However there was enough mystery and suspense that made me keep on reading, searching for the answer. The author was very good at the detail description with the setting, which make the whole thing looks creepy and mysterious. There are quite a number of characters in this book. I was wondering who is friend and who is enermy. And you have to read until the very last page to figure it out.

Despite the pace, the story was beautifully written. Callie is strong, independent and soft hearted too. She knows what she wants. I do not like her bf, Paul. Even though Callie was hiding something from him, I guess he could be more sensitive and give more trust to her. It was rather unexpected to me knowing about her grandma's real identity. I like the part when Callie tried to banish the incubus the very first time. However when she was doing it the second time towards the end, I was like "huh that's it? So easy?" that kind of feeling. I thought it would be more challenging.

In summary, it was a good read - dark and mysterious. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Note: I receive the ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Friday, August 12, 2011

The Matchmaker Has Met Her Match. . . Jamie O’Connor knows his grandmother Maureen has matchmaking on the mind when she starts inviting him to events where single women are present. Realizing she’s somewhat smitten with an older gentleman, Jamie decides to turn the tables on Maureen by agreeing to meet Kirby McNeill’s granddaughter Flannery at dinner—with both grandparents there. Flan is thrilled that her widowed grandfather is now attending church. So when he invites her to meet a grandson of a woman from his single seniors’ group, she agrees to go along—only to encourage her grandfather. Then Flan winds up conspiring with Jamie to play matchmaker, too, and soon wonders how she’ll be able to tolerate spending so much time with Jamie and his over-inflated ego. As the juniors scheme to bring the seniors together, a hilarious tumult of mayhem and misconceptions ensues. . .but will it end in romance?

It is a light-hearted and easy read. The story is heart warming and sweet. And I like the sense of humour that author has blended into the story, which make the story more alive. I was laughing, smiling and giggling all the way.

The story is quite realistic too. I get to see the not-so-perfect hero and heroine. I also like the religious element in the story. The plot is simple. The author has done a brilliant job on the way how Jamie and Flannery were brought together; how they interacted with each other; and how Jamie respected Flan. Their relationship was developed naturally. Majority of the story is about Jamie and Flan. Although there was not much about the sub characters, they play an important role to Jamie and Flan, especially Flan. Friendship is the main component in the story.

I enjoy reading this book very much. If you are looking for something light and funny, this is the book for you. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

Note: I receive the ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Was Martin Talbot’s elderly, Alzheimer’s-stricken mother really the Black Stiletto? When he discovers several hidden volumes of her diaries, he is stunned beyond all imagination. In them, Judy Talbot claims to be the renowned underground heroine who operated in late 1950s New York City, battled Communist spies, took on the Mafia, and stalked common crooks.

In a fascinating story that alternates between past and present, the Black Stiletto’s legend unfolds. What caused her to begin her quest for justice? Why did she decide to act outside the law? What are the facts behind her feats as the infamous and feared crime-fighter?

As Talbot struggles with shocking revelations, the reappearance of one of the Stiletto’s old enemies with a thirst for merciless revenge threatens to jeopardize his mother’s closely-guarded secret—and her life.

The story is written in first POV, switching between Martin, Judy and Roberto (Stiletto’s old enemies). However majority of the story is from Judy's diaries. She wrote down her background, what happened to her, how she becomes Black Stiletto, and the adventures after that. It is actions packed, and details fight scenes allow you to imagine the fights visually. Some parts are quite emotional too.

At first I thought reading a journal is boring but I was wrong. It was beautifully written and made me just want to keep on reading and reading. I actually enjoy the part on Judy's diaries the most. I was actually sweat for her on her very first appearance as Black Stiletto. No matter how good was her, there were times she got injured too.

Judy has few diaries and this book only covers one of the diaries. So I guess there will be more books on this series. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Note: I receive the ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Book Trailer

Additional info

The Black Stiletto was a legend in her own time, an underground heroine who made a name for herself during the late Eisenhower years and early Kennedy years as a New York City vigilante. Although she was wanted by the law and would have been arrested had she been caught or had her secret identity been revealed, the Black Stiletto was a competent and successful crime-fighter. A feminist before the term was in everyday vernacular, she battled common crooks, Communist spies, the mafia, and worse—and was responsible for their capture and, in some cases, their deaths. But the Stiletto disappeared midway through the sixties and was never heard from again. Most people thought she had died, and no one ever knew her identity. Like pinup queen Bettie Page, her mythical image resurfaced in comics and other media during the 1980s and 90s. Millions of dollars were made by others exploiting her likeness and persona. Today, the questions remain. Who was she? Is she still alive? If so, where is she now?

The answers can be found in THE BLACK STILETTO, by internationally-known New York Times best-selling author Raymond Benson.

The July 2011 issue of Library Journal calls THE BLACK STILETTO "a mashup of the work of Gloria Steinem, Ian Fleming, and Mario Puzo, all under the editorship of Stan Lee."

Posey Osterhagen can’t complain. She owns a successful architectural salvaging company, she’s surrounded by her lovable, if off-center, family and she has a boyfriend—sort of. Still, something’s missing. Something tall, brooding and criminally good-looking… something like Liam Murphy.

When Posey was sixteen, the bad boy of Bellsford, New Hampshire, broke her heart. But now he’s back, sending Posey’s traitorous schoolgirl heart into overdrive once again. She should be giving him a wide berth, but it seems fate has other ideas…

I love My One and Only written by Kristan Higgins. So as soon as I saw her next book become available, I could not help not to read it.

Unlike My One and Only, this book is written in third person POV, for both hero and heroine. The story is about Posey was love at first sight with the bad boy Liam since they met 20 years ago in their high school. Liam was working in Posey's parents' restaurant at that time. And seeing he was a bad boy, Liam had kept his distant with Posey. And then later he fell in love with a popular girl at school, Emma and they got married and moved to California.

Liam and Emma had a daughter Nicole. 2 years ago Emma had died from leukaemia and Liam had decided to move back to Posey's hometown (which is also Emma's hometown) so that Nicole could get closer with the grandparents. And from a bad boy, Liam had become a protective and responsible father, but still attractive and sexy and women started throw themselves at him. Except Posey, who wanted to protect her heart from getting hurt again. And Liam, just wanted to give the best to his beloved daughter and not thinking about getting into any relationship. But fate seems say otherwise.

I did not fall in love with this book right away. I feel the style is slightly different with her last book that I have read. Nonetheless, she did not disappoint me. Again, it is full of emotion in the story: Friendship, family, love, anger, jealousy, heartbreak. The story is very realistic and in depth. And the characters, both main and secondary characters are vivid with clearly defined role.

In overall, I enjoy reading this book though I prefer My One and Only. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Note: I receive the ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Monday, August 8, 2011

When Kate Bennett survived the horrificcar accident that claimed her parents' lives, she knew her worldwould be forever changed. But she never could have imagined howdramatic these changes would be. Feeling like a freak, Kate tries tohide her unwelcome new ability to see people's auras – that is,until she meets Patrick O'Donnell, who seems to be able to disappearat will. When Kate and her remaining family begin to be haunted by Demons, her only hope is to stay close to Patrick and other Guardianslike him. Somehow, Patrick lies at the center of the mystery, and Kate soon realizes that both she and her heart are in big-time trouble. Caught up in a war she barely understands, with enemies onlyshe can discern, Kate quickly learns that in war everybody loses something...or someone.

About the Author

Heather Frost was born in Sandy, Utah, and raised in a small Northern Utah town. She is the second oldest of ten children, and she loves her family very much. She is especially grateful to her wonderful parents for their decision to homeschool their children. She graduated from Snow College with an associate of science, and is currently majoring in English.

Heather has always been an avid reader, and reading and writing are among her most favorite things to do. She also enjoys playing the flute, listening to all types of music, and watching a wide variety of movies. Ever since she wrote her first story--at the age of four--she has dreamed of one day becoming an author. Seers is her first published novel.

I was attracted by the synopsis of this book. The story is quite interesting. Majority part of the story is written in Kate's POV. However there are few parts towards the end of the book that are suddenly jump to Patrick being the first person POV. This at first confuses me for a little while before I realize that the subject has changed. Same for the epilogue, I don't think it is necessary to write the whole story in first person POV and without telling who that person is.

I have a mixed feeling on this book actually. Although the story is quite interesting, I found myself fancy none of the characters in the story. Not even Kate or Patrick. I have neutral feeling on Patrick. While I do not hate Kate but I don't quite agree with her behaviour to her boyfriend. To me, she had been dishonest with her boyfriend, not on keeping her special ability as a secret, but on her feelings with him. I wonder if Patrick does not exist, what will happen to them. Will she make the same decision? However she was just a teenager, I suppose I should not expect she acts like a mature adult.

In summary the book is not really that bad actually. It's quite an easy read (if you don't mind the first person POV). The pace is not very fast despite some actions.

I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Note: I receive the ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

What will it be like when all of us are emotionless except fear? Imagine no love, no passion, no happiness, and thus no sadness, no tears too. Why there is fear? Because with fear, we will follow rules. And thus the world will be peaceful without war. But is it really as what it seems? Or are we just a living corpse walking around the earth?

Rom was an artist. One day on the way going home, Rom met with an old man who claimed to know his father and told him a shocking news that his father was being murdered and not died from illness. This old man also gave him a vial of blood and asked him to go look for this man called Book who was detained in the Citadel. According to the rules, Rom was supposed to turn himself in and hand over the vial of blood to the Orders. However seeing the old man being killed by the citadel guard, Rom was freak out and he ran away. Due to this, his life was totally changed. He became fugitive. And yet he needed to stay around for the answers. He had a mission to complete.

This is my first book by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee. And it is very well written. Fast pace, unpredictable, full of actions and adventures that made me can't stop turning the pages. The thoughts and emotion of the main characters are presented very well. The story plot is good and things always happen out of my anticipation. Even though this book is categorized under Thriller, however it is not scary or creepy at all. Rom was fearful but he's smart and intelligent too. The promise that he had made and his determination to protect his loved one made him to continue his mission. You can also find sacrifice, passion, love and loyalty from this book. I could not get enough and I'm looking forward for the next book in this series.

This is a wonderful book and I enjoy reading it very much. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Description:

A terrible truth has been revealed to one man: the entire human race has been drained of every emotion except one-- fear. To bring life back to the world, Rom must embark on a journey that will end either in his own demise or a reawakening of humanity. But to bring love and passion back into existence will also threaten the powers of the world with the revolution and anarchy that had nearly destroyed them previously.

After happening upon a journal through strange circumstance, Rom's world is shattered. He learns that humanity long ago ceased to "live," that it exists today in a living death of emotions. In a terrible risk, Rom exposes himself to the vial of blood folded into the old leather of the journal. His change is fearful and fraught with mind-bending emotion. A once-pious observer of the Order's passionless statues, he is filled with uncontrollable impulses. He is filled with love.

He is undone, terrified, and alone in the desolate world.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

TED DEKKER is a New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels with a total of more than 5 million books in print. He is known for thrillers that combine adrenaline-laced plots with incredible confrontations between good and evil.

TOSCA LEE left her position working with Fortune 500 Companies as a Senior Consultant for the Gallup Organization to pursue her first love: writing. She is the critically-acclaimed author of Demon and Havah and is best known for her humanizing portraits of maligned characters. She makes her home in the Midwest.

Note: I receive the ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.